Black Workers Claim Racists Ran General Mills Plant In Lawsuit

Black employees at a Covington, Georgia, General Mills plant have accused managers of running a racist work environment in a federal lawsuit filed on June 2.



The lawsuit contains several allegations, including favoritism of white employees over Black employees, disproportionately disciplining Black employees, and the maintenance of a racist mural inspired by leaders of the Confederacy. 



As CNN reports, the lawsuit mentions two white managers who are responsible for creating “an organization of white employees in management and human resources called the ‘Good Ole Boys.’” In addition, the lawsuit claims that “The ‘Good Ole Boys’ believe that history and symbols that have been co-opted or misappropriated by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist hate groups are useful to keep Black people ‘in their place’ and discourage Black people from speaking or taking action against the disparate treatment of Black employees at the Covington facility.”




Eight Black employees sued General Mills, accusing it of discrimination at a Georgia plant led by white managers. A complaint filed on June 2 said managers at the Covington plant favor whites for promotions over more qualified Blacks https://t.co/KdG5IvHbs0 pic.twitter.com/SzsiyijV8h — Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) June 4, 2024




Other incidents include a Black employee, plaintiff Keith McClinton, claiming that “KKK,” shorthand for Ku Klux Klan, had been etched into his lunchbox . When McClinton brought that to the managers’ attention, he was subjected to a handwriting test to prove he didn’t write it himself.



According to the lawsuit, “egregious incidents of racism have gone ignored by local and corporate HR” since the 1980s, and the lawsuit alleges that employees in human resources would reveal the identities of employees who made anonymous allegations of misconduct, which resulted in workplace retaliation from the managers. 



The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are seeking compensatory and punitive damages for themselves and hundreds of Black employees who have worked at the plant and would like a trial by jury to settle the matter.



According to General Mills’ website, the company expressly forbids discrimination and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The company released a statement to CNN that it “has a long-standing and ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”



Recently, as One Green Planet reported, General Mills was the subject of calls from Consumer Reports to eliminate plastic chemicals from its food products , culminating in a petition signed by 30,000 people being delivered to its Golden Valley, Minnesota, headquarters.



In February, Consumer Reports sent a letter to Jeffrey R. Harmening, chairman and CEO of General Mills, warning about the levels of plasticizers in its products.